Toggle fastener



United States Patent [72] Inventor Charles E. Gutshall Roselle, Illinois[21] Appl. No. 787,017 [22] Filed Dec. 26, 1968 [45] Patented Oct. 6,1970 [73] Assignee Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Chicago, Illinois a corporation of Delaware [54] TOGGLE FASTENER 4Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 85/71, 85/3, 5/ [51] Int. Cl F16b 13/04 [50] FieldofSearcli 85/80, 63, 70, 71, 3, 3K, 35; 151/41.75;248/220.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,370,319 3/1921 Kennedy 1185/80 1,600,034 9/1926 Brenizer 85/3(S)U X 3,170,361 2/1965 Vaughn 85/33,340,761 9/1967 Fischer 35/7l FOREIGN PATENTS Primary Examiner-MarionParsons, .Ir. Atlorneys- Robert W. Beart, Michael Kovac, Barry L. Clarkand Jack R. Halvorsen ABSTRACT: A toggle fastener having wing sectionsforming anchoring legs radiating from a central portion which isrecessed to carry means with which a bolt cooperates to install thefastener; the wings and central portion are integrally formed of asuitable plastic material and the wings are transversely slotted toprovide inner and outer sections joined to each other by an integraltransverse hinge portion of reduced thickness; likewise, the innersections of the wings are joined to the central portion by integraltransverse hinge portions of reduced thickness; and a modificationincludes legs diverging axially from the central portion to mount thewing sections on the blind side of the supporting structure inself-sustaining position prior to assembly ofa bolt therewith.

Patented Oct. 6, 1975) His Aff'ys TOGGLE F ASTENER The invention relatesto improvements in a toggle fastener and to an improved anchoring unitwith which a bolt cooperates to secure the fastener in its installedposition.

An object of the invention is to provide an integral plastic anchoringunit including inner and outer wing sections resiliently hinged togetherfor folding movement to collapsed position when passed through anopening in a wall or other support structure after which the sectionsreturn to normal retaining position on the blind side of the wallstructure.

Another object of the'invention is to provide the adjacent wing sectionswith transverse slots providing spaced wall surfaces which are broughtinto abutting contact for rigidifying the anchoring unit when the boltis tightened home.

Another object of the invention is to provide an anchoring unit of theabove type with a central recessed portion to receive a threaded nut,and hold the same against rotation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an anchoring unit of theabove type including axially diverging legs which engage the wallaperture after the wing sections have been passed therethrough fortemporarily supporting the unit prior to assembly ofa bolt therewith.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an anchoring unitof the above type wherein the diverging legs are stepped for accordionfolding within the wall aperture when the bolt is tightened to theinstalled position.

The above and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious andwill be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing the wing sections assembled with abolt to form the toggle fastener;

FIG, 2 is a top plan view ofFlG. 1',

FIG. 3 is a side view showing collapse of the wings sections as they arepassed through a wall aperture;

FIG. 4 is a similar side view but showing the wing sections straightenedout in substantially rigid locking position under influence ofthe bolt;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a wing unit modified to includeself-sustaining diverging legs;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but turned 90;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a view showing the modified wing unit in installed position.

Referring more in detail to FIGS. 1 and 2, the resilient wings areformed of a suitable plastic material such as linear polyethylene. Theouter end sections I0, lOa are separated from the inner sections 12, 12aby transverse slots '14, 14a which, in turn, leave integral hingeportions 16, 16a of reduced thickness at the bottoms thereof. The innerends of the inner sections 12, 12a have the wall portions 18, 18a,thereof spaced from one another a distance sufficient to leave integralbottom hinge portions 20, 20a of reduced thickness joining the sectionsI2, 120, to the central portion. The central portion includes opposedupstanding arcuate post or wall sections 22, 22a which have inwardlyextending and downwardly facing retainer lips 24, 24asThe inner endportions of the sections 12, 120 are recessed, as at 26, 26a,respectively, along a portion of the lengths thereof. The centralportion of the fastener is thus adapted to receive an internallythreaded nut member 28 which snaps beneath the lips 24, 24a and is heldthereby when installed. 'It is to be noted that the nut 28 includesdiametrically opposed projections 30, 3011 which fit within the recesses26, 26a, respectively, to hold the nut against rotation. The nut isadapted to receive the threaded shank 32 ofa bolt having a suitable formofdrlving head 33.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wing sections form a gradual arc in normalposition but when applied through an opening in a wall structure W orthe like, the sections 12, 120 will be abruptly hinged at the portions20, a along with the end sections 10, 10a to approach or contact thesurface of the bolt shank 32 when the combined fastener is forcedthrough the opening 15 in the wall or other supporting structure. Priorto such assembly, there is usually assembled on the bolt shank astructural element S or the like to be attached to the wall W andcovering the opening 15. When the fastener reaches a position clearingthe free ends of the sections 10, 10a from the opening 15, the inherentresiliency of the hinge connections will spread the wing sectionsoutwardly behind the blind sur face of the wall structure W or the like.In so spreading, the projections 30, 30:: on the nut will again bereceived in the recesses 26, 260, respectively, of the sections 12, 12a.When the bolt is tightened with respect to the nut with the wingsections assuming the straightened out position of FIG. 4, it will benoted that the outer'edges of the slots 14, 140 will come together andabut at 17, 17a, thus to provide rigidity to the wing sections in thisinstalled position. Further, for the purposes of rigidity, the wallsurfaces 18, 18a at the inner ends of the sections 12, 12a will abut theadjacent surfaces of the nut .28 and also, the ends of the nutprojections 30, 30a will abut the adjacent edges of the recesses 26,26a. The projections 30,

30a on the nut serve as further reinforcement to the wing sectionsacross the area of the hinge sections over opening 15 in the wallstructure W.

A modified form ofa resilient wing unit is shown in FIGS. 5 through 8.The wing sections forming the radiating anchoring legs are the same asthose described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2. However, theupstanding supports or wall sections 22, 22a at the center of the wingsections are provided with integral diverging resilient legs 36, 36awhich are stepped throughout the length thereof to provide a structurein the nature of accordion folds. These diverging legs terminate insemicircular foot portions 38, 3811 which constitute essentially twohalves of a washer. Thus, the inner edges of the foot sections arerecessed as indicated by the numeral 40 on the foot portion 38a in FIG.7. With this modified form of fastener unit, the wing sections can bepassed through an opening in a wall structure without initiallyassembling the bolt therewith and with the diverging legs trailing. Insuch an installed position, the inherent resiliency of the diverginglegs 36, 36a will engage the walls of the opening 15 and thus mount thewing sections of the fastener unit temporarily in self-sustainingposition. Thereafter, the bolt is assembled to the nut and tightened toshift the parts to the installed position shown in FIG. 8. Thus, it willbe seen that the stepped legs 36, 36a will at least partially collapseinto accordiondike pleats within the opening 15 and the foot sections38, 38a will have been drawn together in initial installation to atleast form a partial seal across the wall opening 15 with the structuralelement S clamped thereagainst.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the toggle fastener is one inwhich the anchoring legs are of integral plastic material with the wingsections separated by integral hinge portions permitting the wingsections to collapse for passage through the wall aperture and thenspring back to the normally spread or radiating position on the blindside of the wall. When the bolt is tightened, theadjacent wall surfacesof the inner and outer sections abut one another at 17, 17a to result ina substantially rigid strut; and this rigidity is augmented by theabutment of the walls 18, 18a with the nut and the abutment of the endsof the nut projections 30, 30a with the adjacent surfaces of therecesses 26, 260, respectively. With respect to the diverging legs 36,36a of the modified unit, the self-sustaining temporary mounting hasbeen explained. In addition, the bolt can be removed from such anassembly without losing the anchor unit on the blind side of the wall byreason of the washer sections 38, 38a and their connection with theanchor unit through the legs 36, 36a. Further, such a unit can berecovered reversely through the wall aperture by inserting a hook memberto extend the legs and anchor unit to a position where each of theopposite wing sections may be separately hooked and positioned withtheir extremities within the wall aperture and then the unit removedtherefrom.

Iclaim:

l. A one-piece plastic anchoring unit for use with a threaded bolt in atoggle fastener combination, and comprising a central portion aperturedto threadedly receive the bolt,

wings joined to said central portion by integral resilient hingeconnections normally maintaining the wings in positions radiating fromthe central portion but permitting collapse thereof toward the axis ofthe central portion when passed through the aperture in a supportstructure to the blind side thereof, said wings further includingtraverse slots intermediate the ends thereof providing lower resilienthinge connections dividing the wings into inner and outer wing sectionswith the adjacent wall surface means in the region of said hingeconnections to the central portion and the adjacent walls of the slotsnormally spaced apart but adapted to be brought into abuttingrelationship when the wings are stressed under bolt tightening influenceto impart strut-like rigidity to the wings across the hinge connectionswhen in bolt install position, said central portion being recessed toreceive an in ternally threaded nut adapted to accept said bolt, saidcentral portion including means to retain said nut in said recess inassembled relation, said nut including opposed projecting por tionsnormally extending into recesses in adjacent wings and providingtherewithadditional abutment wall surface means when the unit is in boltinstall position.

2. A one-piece plastic anchoring unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein thecentral portion is provided with legs extending generally normal to thewings at a rotated angular disposition relative thereto to trail thewings when passed through the work structure aperture and engage thewall of the aperture to mount the wings in self-sustaining positionprior to bolt assembly therewith.

3. A one-piece plastic anchoring unit as claimed in claim 2 wherein thelegs diverge slightly from one another and terminate in complementalwasher sections to engage the accessible surface of the work structure.

4. A one-piece plastic anchoring unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein thelegs are stepped in accordion-like form to collapse in accordion pleatswithin the work structure aperture when the unit is bolt installed.

